Saint-Marc
]] ]] Saint-Marc (Kreyol: Sen Mak) is a commune in western Haiti in Artibonite, along with La Chapelle and Verrettes. At the 2003 Census the commune had 160,181 inhabitants. It is the biggest city between Port-au-Prince and Cap-Haïtien. The capital city of Saint-Marc lies on the coast of Haiti with port accessibility to Haitian cities in the region. In 1905 the Compagnie Nationale or National Railroad built a 100 km railroad north to Saint-Marc from the national capital of Port-au-Prince. The track was later extended another 30 km east to Verrettes. About History The city of Saint-Marc is placed on the site of an ancient Indian village which, in the fifteenth century, was at the northern limit of the caciquat of Xaragua. Populated by Taïnos from neighboring islands, this town was known as the poetic name of Amani-y. The date of its foundation dates back to the 17th century around 1695 and was raised to the rank of commune on September 13, 1915. Overview St. Marc is a large port town surrounded by mountains. At all times, there are many boats in the port, typically sail boats. The town is located on flat land close to the sea but its edges extend into the foothills. From these vantage points, the ocean is sometimes viewable. The city has a few park spaces, including Place Cite Nissage Saget. These parks are often surrounded by vendors with carts full of goods. Local residents enjoy the rich culture of Saint-Marc and it is considered a safe place to live. About 60% of the population lives in the communal section, meaning outside of town. As a result, they are beyond its infrastructure and lack drainage systems, electricity and potable water. Recent development projects have been underway in Saint-Marc, with assistance and funding from USAID and IOM. They include: grading and paving roads, implementing a sewage/drainage system and providing access to potable water at various points throughout the larger town. In addition, a USAID project trained youth to map the town on OpenStreetMap, a free, editable online map. Geography Saint-Marc is a tableland ringed by mountain ranges. Of the many beaches grazing the coastline of Saint-Marc, Amani-y Beach remains the most-visited. Besides its rich marine life, many exploration areas exist, which make for good scuba diving. Located between the basin of the Artibonite and the Gulf of Gonâve,(entrance to the Bay of St. Mark ), facing the north side of the Chaîne des Matheux. It is bounded on the north by the municipality of Grande-Saline, on the south by the Commune of Arcahaie and on the west by the Gulf of Gonâve. It contains six communal sections and a district, the district of Montrouis. The dominant relief of the municipality of Saint Marc is the mountains. Its climate varies from normal to cool. Its geographical position is both coastal and inland, depending on whether one is in town or in communal sections. The population of the commune of Saint Marc was estimated at 154,257 inhabitants in 1998 and expected to reach a little more than 176,000 inhabitants in 2004. It has an area of 553.24 km2, its density is 279. More than half of the population lives in Saint Marc's urban area, about 53%. Hydrographic network The municipality of Saint-Marc is crossed by an important network of rivers: the Grande Rivière of Saint-Marc and the Petite Rivière of Saint-Marc, the Lanzac and Abricot rivers located in the 1st Section of Délugé, the river from Freycineau and the Artibonite River originating in the Dominican Republic . It should be noted that the Great St. Marc River receives the waters of two tributaries: the Veuve River and the Gobe River. Land occupation Agriculture occupies nearly 40% of the commune's land. It is of the rain type in the 3rd and 4th sections and irrigated type in the 1st , 2nd , 4th , 5th and 6th sections. The mountain areas account for 41.6% of the total area of the municipality and the lowland areas 25%. The plains are mainly covered with banana trees, real trees, coconut palms and avocado trees. The savanna zones (rice zone) come third in the commune and occupy 17%. This zone corresponds to the Communal Section of Bocozelle. In addition to the savannah areas, there are pastures with an area of almost 6%. The forest and agroforestry areas represent respectively 3.54% and 4.63% of the total area. Climate The Municipality of Saint-Marc is in the semi-arid tropical climate zone. It is characterized by two major climatic variations: a rainy season extending from April to October (1,300 mm {51 inches} / year) and a dry period from November to March (220 mm {9 inches} / year). The average monthly rainfall is 128 mm {5 inches}. The average annual temperature of the municipality is around 26 degrees Celsius (79* F). Constraints and potentiality The City of Saint-Marc is located in the northern part of a crescent-shaped littoral plain, bounded on the west by the sea and on the east by mountainous landforms that lock it to the south and north Economy For the Economic and Financial Establishments, the commune of Saint Marc is better equipped than many other communes of the department. There are 13 hotels, 16 restaurants, 3 reception centers, 2 banks, 2 credit unions and a marketing cooperative. Infrastructure According to Haiti's Poverty Map, Saint-Marc is a badly ranked commune if one considers the living conditions of its population in terms of access to basic education, health, running water and sanitation. '' '''Transportation' Transportation in Saint-Marc Arrondissement is very good. Saint-Marc is located 100 kilometers from Port-au-Prince, the capital, and 50 kilometers from the city of Gonaïves. The way to get from the capital of Port-au-Prince through Saint-Marc is by means of Route Nationale 1, which extends all the way up to the coastal towns of Montrouis and Gonaïves, before reaching its terminus at the northern port of Cap-Haïtien. The whole city is crossed from north to south by Route Nationale 1, one of the most important roads of the country. This road borrows, in its crossing of Saint-Marc, the main commercial artery of the city: Rue Louverture The most prevalent mode of transportation is the motorcycle (mobylette), due to the inexpensive maintenance and low gas consumption. Generally, people fit as many as four on a bike even though the mobylettes are designed for a maximum of two people. Bikes are another common source of transport. Cars are considered a luxury mode of transportation. St. Marc is known for being a blend of city and rural lifestyles. For many living in Port-au-Prince, it is considered the start of the “country”. Goats are rampant and can be seen roaming about the city streets. Many people in Saint-Marc also own cows or chickens. Port of Saint Marc Like almost all Haitian cities, Saint-Marc has developed around the port function. The port is open to foreign trade. The wharf is located in the historic center. The port activities and the road traffic that they generate, are in conflict with the urban activities; they even have a negative impact on the urban environment Education For the first index, it is the department of Artibonite in general that has unfavorable access to basic education and Saint-Marc also has a strong deficiency in this area. Moreover, the official results in success rate over the past five years are deplorable: less than 10% on average. The Ministry of National Education of Youth and Sports is represented in the municipality by a school district. The person in charge is an inspector responsible for supervising the activities concerning him. The distribution of schools is nineteen kindergarten schools, 23 public schools at primary level, along with numerous private, and two congregational. At the secondary level, one public school, twenty private schools and three Congregational schools were registered. Health The Artibonite Department is also ranked poorly in terms of health services. Despite the administrative management of the Saint-Nicolas hospital by a powerful American NGO and the supervision of the dispensaries by the Regional Office of the UCS (Communal Health Unit), Saint-Marc occupies a moderately weak place and ranks among 12 of the 15 communes of the department whose ranks vary between "extremely weak", "very weak" and "weak". According to the Coordination Unit of the National Food and Nutrition Program of the MSPP (Ministry of Health and Population), food insecurity is very high with a prevalence rate that varies between 51% and 60%. Chronic malnutrition amounts to 29.6%. In terms of health, the Ministry of Public Health and Population is represented in the commune by a municipal health office. There are three hospitals in the commune, four clinics, a health center with bed, three medical laboratories and a dispensary in the commune. In addition, 22 doctors, four dentists, 21 nurses, 48 auxiliaries, a certified matron and eleven laboratory technicians provide the health service at these institutions. Utilities At the commune level, we have inventoried six rivers, 19 springs, a pond and three lagoons. Other water points were 22 single boreholes, twelve artesian wells, six valves and two pumps. As far as Electricity is concerned, a large part of the municipality is electrified. The Electricity of Haiti is the institution responsible for the distribution of electricity in this municipality. It provides an average of 12 to 16 hours of power per week. Although Saint-Marc is not considered an arid region, the availability of running water (or drinking water) is rather precarious in the municipal area. Saint-Marc is not ranked among the 26 communes (out of 133) that have a more or less satisfactory accessibility in running water. Moreover, the high population density has caused an imbalance in the availability of water that even the management assumed by the French-Haitian firm SESAM (Society of Waters of Saint-Marc) can not contain. More than 60% of urban homes, excluding peri-urban areas, are not connected to the current distribution network. Only 20% of the rural population of Saint-Marc consume water from a drinking water supply system (SAEP) regardless of the reliability of its structure. Security With regard to Administrative and Judiciary Infrastructures, the municipality of Saint Marc has a public prosecutor's office, a civil court, a court of the peace, a police station and annexes of sub-police station. There is also a prison. The city of Saint-Marc (also called City of Nissage Saget) is directed by a municipal council of three members including the titular mayor while each of the communal sections is administered by a Council of the Communal Section or CASEC. According to the Haitian Constitution of 1987 (in force), the municipal council should be assisted by a Municipal Assembly composed of representatives of the Communal Sections. For the Communal Sections, the decisions of the CASECs must be ratified by the ASECs or Assemblies of the communal sections. The Vice-delegation, formerly called prefecture (until 1986), has its seat in the City and represents the President of the Republic at the level of the district of Saint-Marc (All the communes of Saint-Marc, Verrettes and from La Chapelle). Different deconcentrated government departments exist in the municipality and sit in the city: the General Directorate of Taxation (DGI), the Regional Office of Public Works, Transport and Communications (TPTC), the Regional Office of Electricity of Haiti (EDH), the Office Agricole Communal (BAC), the Office of the National Port Authority (APN), the Regional Office of the ONA (National Insurance Office), the Municipal Library, etc . A private firm, SESAM, has a monopoly on the exploitation of water in urban space following the law on water reform and through contracts and other concessions granted by DINEPA. Culture Saint-Marc residents are so noted for their warmth and hospitality; their voices frequently sound as if they are yelling and angry. This love of life translates into a passion for everything, especially music. If they are voodoo believers, you will most likely find them listening to Haitian folk songs. Otherwise, they prefer Troubadou, or American pop music. Religion Approximately 130 churches of all beliefs were counted in the municipality of Saint-Marc. These confessions are: Catholic, Baptist, Adventist, Pentecostal, Church of God, Wesleyan and Jehovah's Witness. Organizations As for the Political Parties and Organizations, they are four political parties, 33 people's organizations, three non-commercial co-operatives, two NGOs and three international organizations . Communication The city of Saint-Marc has fourteen radio stations, a newspaper / magazine and three television stations. Leisure As for Leisure, a museum, a theater, six cinemas, a football (soccer) pitch, volleyball court, basketball court, tennis court and seven night clubs have been counted in this municipality, in addition to the gaguères which are eleven. Regarding cultural heritage, there are three monuments and sites that are colonial, historical and natural. With a rich and eventful history of commerce, the town of Saint-Marc remains an important commune among others and has a place of choice in the history of the country. ]] Use of urban space The city of Saint-Marc serves as a support for multiple economic activities grouped into specialized neighborhoods. Population growth and the uncontrolled arrival of immigrants pose serious problems in terms of food, housing, sanitation, sanitation, unemployment and crime. There is a public square, a theater, a football park, seven night clubs, two communal markets and a slaughterhouse. People Haitians are a very hospitable and welcoming population, including those in Saint-Marc. It is said here that “Bonjou is the passport”, meaning that saying hello opens doors. Every time you see someone you know or have just met, you must say either “bonjou or bonswa”, literally meaning ‘good day’ or ‘good evening’. Typically the person who enters a room makes the greeting. Although Saint-Marc is known as the “Pleasure City” as many young people reside here; the majority of people live in abject poverty and work extremely hard to make ends meet. Haitians tend to have a style of talking with powerful projection. Visitors sometimes perceive them to be angry when they are having ordinary exchanges. People in St. Marc enjoy exchanging jokes with each other. Comedy is a favorite pastime. Music There are three main types of music listened to in Saint-Marc: Troubadou or twoubadou is very similar to Salsa music and includes drums, trumpets, and guitar. Haitian folk music is strongly associated with Vodou. It is often played as processional music in the streets between Ash Wednesday and Easter Sunday. In Saint-Marc, many people also listen to popular American music. Popular Haitian groups have developed over the years, such as Les Formidables. This group is no longer together as most members live overseas, but the group’s music lingers in the culture. Virtuose is a very popular group in Saint-Marc. BC and Gwoup 703 are other popular Haitian groups. RapCreole is an emerging popular style among the youth. Typically this kind of rap uses rhythms typical of Haitian folk or popular music. Popular ‘RapKreyol’ artists include BC (Barikad Crew), Skwardy, Izolan, Fantom. Sebastien Pierre is a popular R&B artist. Zomò is one of the most popular singer at Saint-Marc. In 2014, he featured in a music called Lifes goes on which was one of the best in Haiti. Food If Saint-Marc people love music, they love food as much or more. They grow staple crops of rice, pasta, and plantains, and fish coastal waters for local varieties of seafood. Their tastes run to very sweet and spicy seasonings. Local commerce drives the economy of Saint-Marc. A farmers market of new and second-hand wares operates daily, along with produce and meat markets. Food plays a large role in the life of people in Saint-Marc. Meals are an important part of normal daily social interaction. For the most part, cooking is done outside to avoid overheating and moisture collection inside. Plantains, rice or pasta are staples of almost every meal. Seafood is also consumed regularly. For instance, crab, dried cod and fresh fish are available. Goat is perhaps the most common meat, but chicken and beef are also consumed regularly. Haitians have an affinity for either very spicy food (even peanut butter is spicy) or very sweet food (sugar is added to sugary cereals). Spices and spicy peppers are used abundantly in Haitian cuisine. A significant amount of produce is grown locally, specifically bananas, plantains, mangoes, cherries, corn, manioc, rice, and tomatoes. The typical Saint-Marc resident consumes a lot of fruit. A dish very specific to Saint-Marc consists of rice with sauce “pois” (beans), crab/goat meat mixed in, or both. Other dishes include bananne pesse (fried plaintains) which are accompanied with piklese, a spicy “gardiniera” mixture that consists of carrots, cabbage, and peppers. Soup is typically prepared on Sunday to make use of all the week's leftovers. It usually consists of several types of meat, potatoes, and carrots. Fresh fish, typically sole, is also consumed regularly. This fish is cooked over an open fire with a mayonnaise-based marinade mixed with various spices. Riz du lait is a common dessert, essentially a rice pudding made with cinnamon, milk, sugar, and butter. Other Creole-named desserts include dous makos (Haitian fudge), dous kokoye (homemade coconut candy), pen patat (sweet potato bread), pen diri (rice bread), etc. Religion Religious believers follow mostly Catholicism and Haitian Vodou. Both are prevalent throughout the country. Catholicism/Christianity is the most widespread and generally accepted religion in St-Marc. Most Haitians attend church on Sundays. Roman Catholicism was brought by the French colonists who settled Saint-Domingue; missionary priests and others worked to convert enslaved Africans. Some 80% of Haitians are practicing Catholics, sometimes combining it with elements of Vodou. Evangelical Protestants and Baptist churches are also very common in St. Marc. The majority of residents are very involved in their church as centers of community and cultural identity. On any given day, groups of people singing hymns can also be heard throughout the streets. Vodou developed from combining of the different West African religions brought by slaves; the word Vodou is derived from an African word meaning spirit. It is more strongly rooted in the rural areas, and this population is more reluctant to accept Western medicine. Economy Commerce is the largest trade in St-Marc. Many find work as a merchant, either with their own stand in the market or at a boutik “convenient store” stand. There are also a multitude of street sellers who carry baskets of goods or candy on their heads, as well as selling canned milk to passers-by. Not many of these products are manufactured in St-Marc. Nearly all products sold are received in the country as donations or surpluses from second-hand stores in the US. St-Marc markets are open daily, featuring almost any type of fruit or vegetable grown locally. St-Marc hosts a charcoal market for cooking material. As charcoal is used for much of the cooking in St-Marc and throughout Haiti in general, it is manufactured locally and supports a large work force. The island has become deforested from so much wood being taken from the forests. Aside from the charcoal market, St-Marc’s economics revolve a great deal around agricultural products produced in the area. In Deye Legliz, an area near St-Marc harbor, food markets are open daily. Most residents shop on Saturday to stock up on food supplies for the week. The Boulevard area houses a large flea market, with a variety of mostly second-hand items sold, including clothing, electronic equipment, shoes, toys, bicycles, etc. Many people from Port-au-Prince come to the markets in St. Marc because of the inexpensive costs. Shopping Retail bricks and mortar (or wooden) stores also exist in St-Marc. These include: pharmacies that sell medicinal products, open-air markets (marché) that sell food and many other types of goods, bakeries with wheat and cassava bread and various sweet baked goods, convenience stores, and magazins or specialty shops for such items as fabric, hardware, beauty salons and car parts. Demographics According to ARCHIVE Research: In general, people from St. Marc are classified as a Middle class and a Lower Class (the poverty class). The former is generally literate in French, while the latter use Creole and may not be literate. Many of the better schools teach both French and English as formal languages, resulting in children gaining fluency in those and Creole, their first language. Residents aspire to having a concrete masonry house (CMU), associated with security and wealth. Middle-class families may also wish to save enough money to emigrate with their children from the struggling country. Some observers think the struggle for survival for most families works against joint goals for the city and nation. Attractions Going to the beach is a popular activity for families and friends on the weekend. The most popular time to go is on Sunday after church. The most important beaches in St-Marc are Grosse Roche and Amani-y. Amani-y beach is a white sandy beach. It was abandoned for more than 25 years before being acquired by the current developer. It is the site of a noted "Zombie hole", a 200-meters-deep reef that features large "Elephant Ears" fan coral, sponge tubes, black coral, blue tang, sea urchins, and many more. Near the beach are some of the region's noted historical sites, such as: the Palace with 365 doors and 52 windows in Petite Rivière de l'Artibonite; the forts in Marchand Dessalines; the pilgrimage site of Saut d’Eau; and the port of Saint-Marc. An experienced diver has described the diving at Amani-y as follows: “ The diving at Amani-y is remarkable and unique. On the east end of the beach, walking out to chest -high water brings you to a dramatic drop-off, a wall going down hundreds of meters. At about 120 feet, a series of giant sponges begins. Making this dive easy is the fact that to the immediate west, a gradual slope takes you up to 30 feet, then 15-20, then ten feet or less, so decompression can be done in a very exciting and relaxing way. The shallower water is perfect snorkeling for non-divers." ]] ---- Saint-Marc Arrondissement: Saint-Marc, La Chapelle, Verrettes, Montrouis, Liancourt Category:Saint-Marc Arrondissement